A View of Sir Isaac Newton's Philosophy

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                                   A
                                ~VIEW~
                                 ~OF~
                        Sir ~_ISAAC NEWTON_~’s
                              PHILOSOPHY.

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                             ~_LONDON_~:

                     Printed by _S. PALMER_, 1728.

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  To the Noble and Right Honourable
  SIR _ROBERT WALPOLE._

_SIR,_

I Take the liberty to send you this view of Sir ~ISAAC NEWTON’S~
philosophy, which, if it were performed suitable to the dignity of the
subject, might not be a present unworthy the acceptance of the greatest
person. For his philosophy operations of nature, which for so many
ages had imployed the curiosity of mankind; though no one before him
was furnished with the strength of mind necessary to go any depth in
this difficult search. However, I am encouraged to hope, that this
attempt, imperfect as it is, to give our countrymen in general some
conception of the labours of a person, who shall always be the boast
of this nation, may be received with indulgence by one, under whose
influence these kingdoms enjoy so much happiness. Indeed my admiration
at the surprizing inventions of this great man, carries me to conceive
of him as a person, who not only must raise the glory of the country,
which gave him birth; but that he has even done honour to human nature,
by having extended the greatest and most noble of our faculties,
reason, to subjects, which, till he attempted them, appeared to be
wholly beyond the reach of our limited capacities. And what can give us
a more pleasing prospect of our own condition, than to see so exalted
a proof of the strength of that faculty, whereon the conduct of our
lives, and our happiness depends; our passions and all our motives to
action being in such manner guided by our opinions, that where these
are just, our whole behaviour will be praise-worthy? But why do I
presume to detain you, SIR, with such reflections as these, who must
have the fullest experience within your own mind, of the effects of
right reason? For to what other source can be ascribed that amiable
frankness and unreserved condescension among your friends, or that
masculine perspicuity and strength of argument, whereby you draw the
admiration of the publick, while you are engaged in the most important
of all causes, the liberties of mankind?

       *       *       *       *       *

I humbly crave leave to make the only acknowledgement within my power,
for the benefits, which I receive in common with the rest of my
countrymen from these high talents, by subscribing my self

  ~_SIR_~,
  _Your most faithful_,
  _and_
  _Most humble Servant_,

  ~HENRY PEMBERTON~.




~PREFACE~.


I _Drew up the following papers many years ago at the desire of some
friends, who, upon my taking care of the late edition of Sir_ ~ISAAC
NEWTON’S~ _Principia, perswaded me to make them publick. I laid hold
of that opportunity, when my thoughts were afresh employed on this
subject, to revise what I had formerly written. And I now send it
abroad not without some hopes of answering these two ends. My first
intention was to convey to such, as are not used to mathematical
reasoning, some idea of the philosophy of a person, who has acquired
an universal reputation, and rendered our nation famous for these
speculations in the learned world. To which purpose I have avoided
using terms of art as much as possible, and taken care to define such
as I was obliged to use. Though this caution was the less necessary at
present, since many of them are become familiar words to our language,
from the great number of books wrote in it upon philosophical subjects,
and the courses of experiments, that have of late years been given by
several ingenious men. The other view I had, was to encourage such
young gentlemen as have a turn for the mathematical sciences, to pursue
those studies the more chearfully, in order to understand in our
author himself the demonstrations of the things I here declare. And to
facilitate their progress herein, I intend to proceed still farther in
the explanation of Sir_ ~ISAAC NEWTON’S~ _philosophy. For as I have
received very much pleasure from perusing his writings, I hope it is
no illaudable ambition to endeavour the rendering them more easily
understood, that greater numbers may enjoy the same satisfaction._

_It will perhaps be expected, that I should say something particular
of a person, to whom I must always acknowledge my self to be much
obliged. What I have to declare on this head will be but short; for
it was in the very last years of Sir_ ~ISAAC~_’s life, that I had the
honour of his acquaintance.